Preusse's big hit lifts Danbury 11s to win

News-Times, The (Danbury, CT)

Published 8:00 pm, Thursday, July 10, 2008

Preusse entered the game in the top of the third inning to replace injured second baseman Danny Fiddner, and in the bottom half, with Danbury trailing by a run, he drove in two runs with a double over leftfielder Scott Jones' head.

Danbury added three more and went on to win 7-3.

"I was sort of nervous, because I know this guy had a good curveball," said Preusse. "I just tried to stay back on the ball."

Added Danbury coach Vinny Fiddner, "It's huge having our bench play that way. We have 14 guys on the team, and it's turning out that we need all of them. All these guys deserve to be on the team."

Danbury took a 2-0 lead in the first inning, though only one batter managed to hit the ball out of the infield. They took advantage of good base running and a few fielding miscues by New Fairfield.

In the top of the third, New Fairfield -- whose other loss in the double-elimination tournament came against Danbury -- scored three runs to take the lead. Rob Porter's double that bounced up against the leftfield fence drove in two and put New Fairfield up 3-2.

But with Preusse's timely hit just a half inning later, New Fairfield had little chance to savor it.

"I thought if we bounced back there with a big inning, we had to (retire Danbury) one, two, three the next inning," said New Fairfield coach Frank Farias. "But that's what defending champs do; they played a heck of a game."

With the win Danbury advances to the state tournament, beginning July 19 in Woodbridge.

"We won regionals as nines," said Fiddner. "And last year we saw each team's best pitcher. Teams are going to be gearing up for you."